Ireland: Birth of a Nation

Ireland: Birth of a Nation

rare film footage of Ireland's Independence struggle

Posted 24/02/2015 23:03

These stills are from a 30-minute film, Ireland: Birth of a Nation, which "traces the key events that led to the Easter Rising, the Rebellion itself, and the subsequent War of Independence and Civil War."

Ireland: Birth of a Nation

The film includes some of the oldest film footage ever shot in Ireland and many of the key personalities of this period are captured on camera. We witness Padraig Pearse delivering his famous oration over the graveside of O’Donovan Rossa, in a segment that also contains the only known footage of James Connolly. Other historical figures of the period include Roger Casement and Michael Collins.

The film premièred last year at the Royal College of Physicians, close to St. Stephen's Green, a historic area of Dublin that featured prominently in the events of Easter Week. Indeed, footage from 1897 of O'Connell Street and St. Stephen's Green have been unearthed in putting together this film.

"With the centenary of the 1916 Easter Rising approaching in 2016, this film is a must see for anyone with even the remotest interest in Irish History." according to the film's website.

Ireland: Birth of a Nation will be available for school showings until March. See the film's website for more details.

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